Lesbian Air Force Sergeant Dischared After Being Outed by Police

March 14, 2010

(ChattahBox)—In another case of unfair third-party outing under the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy, a lesbian Air Force sergeant was discharged, after the local police revealed her sexual identity to her military superiors. Air Force Sgt. Jene Newsome, complied with the DADT policy by keeping her homosexuality private. But when the Rapid City, SD police arrived at Newsome’s home with an arrest warrant for her partner, the officers spied an Iowa marriage license, showing that the two women were married. And the police alerted Ellsworth Air Force base, where she worked, that she was gay. As a result, Newsome, 28, was banished from the military with an honorable discharge, after serving for nearly a decade. With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, Newsome is suing the police department, claiming they violated her privacy and outed her in retaliation for not cooperating with them.

Newsome’s troubles began when the Rapid City police showed up at her door, with an arrest warrant for theft from Fairbanks, Alaska for her partner:

“The Rapid City Police Department says Newsome, an aircraft armament system craftsman who spent nine years in the Air Force, was not cooperative when they showed up at her home in November with an arrest warrant for her partner, who was wanted on theft charges in Fairbanks, Alaska. Newsome was at work at the base at the time and refused to immediately come home and assist the officers in finding her partner, whom she married in Iowa — where gay marriage is legal — in October. Police officers, who said they spotted the marriage license on the kitchen table through a window of Newsome’s home, alerted the base, police Chief Steve Allender said. The license was relevant to the investigation because it showed both the relationship and residency of the two women, he said.”

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has recommended that the military should stop discharging gay service members, based on third-party outings while the Pentagon reviews the DADT policy. But the change in policy didn’t come soon enough to protect Jene Newsome.

Comments

8 Responses to “Lesbian Air Force Sergeant Dischared After Being Outed by Police”

Mary on
March 14th, 2010 4:04 pm

I think that this is as it should be. Homosexuals should be promptly and dishonorably discharged from the military. No exceptions.

Mark on
March 14th, 2010 7:23 pm

WHY? Why did they discharge her? She did nothing wrong. Why does this Mary lady comment that this is how it should be…with a dis-honorable discharge. Again, what did she do wrong? Sargent Newsome was working within the armed forces, defending her country, and everyone’s freedom. She is a hero. She is defending freedoms of others that she herself does not even have, yet she loves her country so much, that she can see beyond this and still serve. What a shame. God Bless you Sargent Newsome!

shadow_man on
March 15th, 2010 3:07 am

Stupid. She fights for our country and they kick her out because she’s gay? We are going to end this bigotry, mr breeders, whether you like it or not. Remember the racists? That’s right. Where are they now? I’ll be at the front lines to end this bigotry. MLK JR. PEACE

David A on
March 15th, 2010 12:15 pm

The forgotten part of “don’t ask, don’t tell” is don’t pursue. With don’t pursue the military was suppose to ignore hearsay statements made by third parties like the police. A gay person was suppose to be free to be gay as long as they did nothing to directly bring that fact to the attention of military officials. Of course, this is a failed policy and its demise is long overdue.

[…] Lesbian Air Force Sergeant Dischared After Being Outed by Police … […]

MLE on
March 16th, 2010 2:23 pm

The lesbian was in the wrong. In the military, you are required to inform your chain of command if you are legally married. In addition, you are required to fill out numerous forms where you must state if you are married, single or divorced. So she probably is uilty of fraud as well. IT’s also common in the military for the police to contact a servivemembers commader if they are involved in adispute or crime involving their spouse. When you’re in the military you know the rrules. If you can’t obey them, leave.

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